Friday, November 13, 2015

Rotherham Council, currently under the leadership of Government-appointed commissioners, has announced the preferred candidate for the role of the organisation's new chief executive.

Sharon Kemp, currently Strategic Director (Reform) at Manchester City Council, was chosen by an all-party selection panel following final interviews this week.

It is understood that a shortlist was down to four candidates after seven were invited for initial interviews. Kemp is expected to begin the £160,000 a year role in March 2016 at the top of a new structure which involves creating a new directorate called Community Well-being and Housing and creating the senior posts of strategic director finance and corporate services and assistant chief executive. A number of new assistant director posts are also proposed.

Recruitment continues for the other executive positions.

Sharon has been both an assistant chief executive and strategic director at the City of Manchester since 2009 and before that was for two years at the London Borough of Haringey as assistant chief executive in the aftermath of the Baby P case.

Prior to that, she was for six years in Blackburn with Darwen, working in regeneration, and before that worked in community safety. She started her career with Greater Manchester Police.

Sharon Kemp, incoming chief executive at Rotherham Council, said: "The last six years at Manchester City Council have been challenging but rewarding as I've worked with colleagues to help the organisation and its partners adapt to new ways of working to mitigate the impact of funding reductions, while seizing the opportunities associated with reformed services and devolution.

"I believe this experience, allied with what I learned in my previous roles, will equip me for this new role and - subject to it being confirmed - I look forward to taking it on and working with the team at Rotherham Council to make a positive difference."

Commissioner Stella Manzie CBE is acting in a managing director role – similar to that of a chief executive. She is the only commissioner employed to work full time at the authority and is expected to stand down when Kemp takes on the chief exec role.